Excellent! Your use of the big pick is great! Often, other people demonstrate pick position with a real pick but due to poor lighting, camera position and their hand angle, it's difficult to see what they are trying to demonstrate. And I like the way you summarize your points at the end. Thank you.
Thank you 🙏 The comically large mandolin pick is one of my favorite things. To your point, nobody can see a pick in video, and even in person, it’s tough to see. So happy you enjoyed the lesson!
There may be one more important factor, Nate -- "pivot joint" -- where do you pivot the up-down motion from, the wrist or the elbow. Just like "normal" (non-tremelo) picking, this varies from player to player, but you do see a lot of wrist pickers switch more to elbow for tremelo. Personally, I think more elbow for tremelo works well, perhaps because it is a simple and strong joint and the motion can be made really steady and even.
Yes, those are definitely important factors, Michael! You're really good at analyzing this type of thing. Used to be I always used arm only for tremolo, and didn't use my wrist at all. These days I use a combo of wrist and arm for pretty much everything I do. Arm only, wrist only, and wrist/arm are all legit ways to play. It's important to do exactly what you did, and figure out which technique makes a sound you like in the most effortless way possible. - Nate
great lesson Nate. I'm interested in how the angle in/out options are utilized for non tremolo cases when moving from string to string and perhaps you have a video for that. I had never realized the advantages of the angle out approach you showed here and can see how it could compensate for a less strong upstroke. For instance, when crossing to the next string (G to D or D to A), if your angle is slightly out (or maybe in as well) it allows for cleanly moving to the next string.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! The "out" pick angle concept changed everything about my technique. There's so much to right hand technique that nobody mentions in workshops, and I primarily learned from workshops when I was learning the basics 15-26 ish years ago. For pick angle with string crossings, I usually have a slight "out" angle, but sometimes that doesn't feel right and I go to an "in" or sometimes a neutral pick angle. I'm still honing this - I played with sub-optimal right hand technique for about 15 years and started making changes in in 2014. I studied with Jake Workman and Jake Jolliff during that time, and they both helped me a lot. It's worth taking a lesson from each, just to hear their explanation of what they're doing. - Nate
Hi Priscilla! Just saw this. Sorry for the late reply! I’m so excited that you’ve found the mandolin! Looks like it’s been about 2 months since you started. How are you liking it?
There are several places the hand can rest, depending on the situation. If you are playing near the bridge then the "drumstick" of your palm can make contact with the saddle (the top part of the bridge), on the G-string side. If you are playing closer to the fingerboard then the drumstick either touches the G-string, or the hand can float without making contact. I'm not sure how much sense that makes in written form, so feel free to reply with follow-up questions! Also, I released a course about mastering tremolo last year, and it has helped a lot of people get very good at tremolo. You may find it helpful. Here's the link: bit.ly/MasterTremoloCourse Or, if you'd like more personalized advice, we could meet for a private lesson online and get your technique going. You can start with a free 15-minute meet-&-greet to chat about it first if you'd like. Here's the link: fons.app/@playnately/book
That's a great rule to fit all situations! There are also times when playing tremolo that is not connected to the beat can be very effective. Measured tremolo should always be the default though, as Mike suggests. - Nate
Excellent! Your use of the big pick is great! Often, other people demonstrate pick position with a real pick but due to poor lighting, camera position and their hand angle, it's difficult to see what they are trying to demonstrate. And I like the way you summarize your points at the end. Thank you.
Thank you 🙏 The comically large mandolin pick is one of my favorite things. To your point, nobody can see a pick in video, and even in person, it’s tough to see. So happy you enjoyed the lesson!
Thank you, Mr. Nate Lee Excellent
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
There may be one more important factor, Nate -- "pivot joint" -- where do you pivot the up-down motion from, the wrist or the elbow. Just like "normal" (non-tremelo) picking, this varies from player to player, but you do see a lot of wrist pickers switch more to elbow for tremelo. Personally, I think more elbow for tremelo works well, perhaps because it is a simple and strong joint and the motion can be made really steady and even.
Yes, those are definitely important factors, Michael! You're really good at analyzing this type of thing.
Used to be I always used arm only for tremolo, and didn't use my wrist at all. These days I use a combo of wrist and arm for pretty much everything I do. Arm only, wrist only, and wrist/arm are all legit ways to play. It's important to do exactly what you did, and figure out which technique makes a sound you like in the most effortless way possible. - Nate
Excellent explanation and demonstration. Thank you Nate!
great lesson Nate. I'm interested in how the angle in/out options are utilized for non tremolo cases when moving from string to string and perhaps you have a video for that. I had never realized the advantages of the angle out approach you showed here and can see how it could compensate for a less strong upstroke. For instance, when crossing to the next string (G to D or D to A), if your angle is slightly out (or maybe in as well) it allows for cleanly moving to the next string.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! The "out" pick angle concept changed everything about my technique. There's so much to right hand technique that nobody mentions in workshops, and I primarily learned from workshops when I was learning the basics 15-26 ish years ago.
For pick angle with string crossings, I usually have a slight "out" angle, but sometimes that doesn't feel right and I go to an "in" or sometimes a neutral pick angle. I'm still honing this - I played with sub-optimal right hand technique for about 15 years and started making changes in in 2014. I studied with Jake Workman and Jake Jolliff during that time, and they both helped me a lot. It's worth taking a lesson from each, just to hear their explanation of what they're doing. - Nate
@@PlayNately I'm lovin it and a total outtie now except when I'm not, which is usually on the E string.
Could you please comment on where your hand should be resting on the mandolin when you’re doing a tremolo? Thank you
But I want to first say this was excellent and so helpful, thank you! (I just bought a mandolin today.)
Hi Priscilla! Just saw this. Sorry for the late reply! I’m so excited that you’ve found the mandolin! Looks like it’s been about 2 months since you started. How are you liking it?
There are several places the hand can rest, depending on the situation. If you are playing near the bridge then the "drumstick" of your palm can make contact with the saddle (the top part of the bridge), on the G-string side. If you are playing closer to the fingerboard then the drumstick either touches the G-string, or the hand can float without making contact. I'm not sure how much sense that makes in written form, so feel free to reply with follow-up questions!
Also, I released a course about mastering tremolo last year, and it has helped a lot of people get very good at tremolo. You may find it helpful. Here's the link: bit.ly/MasterTremoloCourse
Or, if you'd like more personalized advice, we could meet for a private lesson online and get your technique going. You can start with a free 15-minute meet-&-greet to chat about it first if you'd like. Here's the link: fons.app/@playnately/book
Best thing on tremolo from Mike Marshall was tremolo should be in time with the beat (or multiple thereof) to sound good.. even half time or such
That's a great rule to fit all situations! There are also times when playing tremolo that is not connected to the beat can be very effective. Measured tremolo should always be the default though, as Mike suggests. - Nate
i always lose my ukelele pick... where could i get a big pick like that? it would be easier to find
Haha, I have the rest of the foam core board around here somewhere.